Not anticlimactic at all

Above the UB88 on Sat., swarms of zooplankton decorated the mid-water column. There's no way to estimate the number of species that provided the bounty. Some were too small and/or too zippy to photograph. On top of that, some were as transparent as glass and others "saw me coming". After finding 14 different species of gelatinous drifter, I could have flown home without the boat.

Only the size of a thumbnail, first sight of a Phronima sedentaria got my heart pounding. This hyperiid amphipod uses its can-opener-like claws to excavate and trim a salp tube to just the right size. The female lays her eggs around the barrel, and can be seen propelling the tiny little ship with her swimmeretes.








This Phronima tenderly cares for her larvae.



Leuckartiara spp. approx. 1"



An approx. 4" calycophoran siphonophore, possibly Diphyes dispar



A heteropod, Carinaria japonica.







Another heteropod, Firoloida desmaresti, has a body size of only 1.5", and is almost completely transparent. I also saw these 20 miles away, at the Redondo Barge. You can't miss them, twisting and turning, dragging their egg strings. Couldn't get a decent shot, so I included a photo of a labeled specimen.




The mother of all net builders, this Corolla spectabilis was dragging a huge mucus web, laden with tiny animals that are beyond the resolution of my lens. If you zoom in, you can just make out the remnants of dozens of radially symmetrical spheres.



The common Cyclosalpa affinis was abundant.




Sunday on the Redondo Barge yielded a surprise nudi that is common at the Northern Channel Islands. Peter Gallup also found one on the barge, but Phil has never seen one in this neck of the woods.
Phidiana hiltoni










We've only seen Cadlina modesta on the barge. There are actually 2 in this photo, and today Phil found a mating pair. Yay!





That's all folks!

Looks like a great dive, Merry. Thanks for sharing! All I've seen lately were reef sharks (tee hee).

Stunning series Merry! That Phronima sedentaria got my heart pounding from just looking at the still. What an interesting critter. Excellent Phidiana hiltoni find as well.

No words, really, for my respect and awe at your ability to get those photos of the tiny midwater swimmers. Anyone who has ever tried to photograph them knows what you manage to accomplish!

Just a technical question -- I assume you are using a DSLR with two strobes. How do you orient your strobes to light these little guys? And are you using a focus light to allow the camera to "see" them?

Ah, the light. Phil and I are still trying to duplicate Kevin's mastery.

Ctenophora, Eastern Pacific - Kevin Lee's Photos

Yes, a DSLR with 2 strobes and a focus light, which is imperative. For light-skittish creatures (larval fish, shrimp) the Sola red light option helps.

Two issues are subject transparency and distance from the lens. Both make it difficult for the camera to focus. It would be just dandy if you could aim both strobes directly at the little critters, but particulates in the water and microscopic plankton make for world-class backscatter. I finally got my head screwed on straight midway thru the dive, elevated both strobes above the lens, and pointed slightly toward the subjects. I think elevating strobes was better. I'm sure my strobe position is not optimal at times (maybe never). Sometimes excitement gets the best of me, trying to get any kind of shot before the subject disappears!

Hmm . . . the more I dance around it, the more I think a Sola light is in my future.

You'll love that powerful focus light, Lynne. We both use one now, thanks to Kevin. Besides having a fish-friendly red light, the unit is factory-sealed, just plug the charger into the back.